Self-exclusion: taking a break that actually holds
A deposit limit is a promise you make to yourself and can renegotiate. Self-exclusion is a promise that is deliberately hard to undo. If limits have stopped working for you, this page lays out the options open to someone in Estonia, from the lightest to the strongest, and how to set them up from a phone.
Option 1: a break in your casino account
Many online casinos offer a cooling-off period — a day, a week, a month — or a longer self-exclusion inside the account. Whether Kanuuna offers this and for which periods is something to check in the profile of the mobile site or to ask support about. Keep its limit in mind: it only covers one account with one operator.
Option 2: EMTA's register of gambling restrictions
Estonia's Tax and Customs Board, Maksu- ja Tolliamet (EMTA), keeps a register of gambling restrictions. It is the stronger tool:
- you apply through the e-MTA self-service;
- the restriction covers both land-based and online gambling;
- you choose the period, from 6 to 36 months.
EMTA's own description of the service: Setting restrictions on gambling.
Doing it from a phone
- Open e-MTA in your mobile browser and log in with Smart-ID or Mobiil-ID (on a computer an ID card works too).
- Find the service for setting gambling restrictions, using the EMTA page above as your guide.
- Choose the period. If you are unsure, pick the longer one — the urge to shorten it is exactly what the register is there to outlast.
- Keep the confirmation as a screenshot or email.
Menu names inside e-MTA can change, so treat EMTA's page as the reference rather than any step-by-step screenshot you find elsewhere.
Option 3: close the side doors
Exclusion works best when your surroundings support it. Delete casino bookmarks and home-screen shortcuts, unsubscribe from promotional emails and texts, and turn off notifications. Many banking apps let you restrict certain kinds of card payments — look in your bank's settings. Telling someone close to you is not a weakness; it is insurance.
When the period ends
Put a reminder in your phone's calendar a week before the end date, and use that week to decide honestly whether you want gambling back in your life at all. If the answer is unclear, the restriction can be set again. Coming back with no limits is the riskiest path; if you return, start with tight deposit and time limits in the operator's profile.
Someone to talk to
Exclusion closes the door but does not explain why it needed closing. The gambling addiction counselling centre can help with that: phone 15410, email info@15410.ee, website 15410.ee. For limits and warning signs see responsible gambling.
Reading from outside Estonia? The 15410 centre is an Estonian service. If you live elsewhere, Gambling Therapy offers online support for people affected by gambling, whatever country they are in.